Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 130: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

122 ENTER MRS. BOB, been complied with, there is nothing to delay the cereinony. Several parties are present—some mem- bers of the officiating minister’s family, and a couple of gentlemen who seem to prefer remaining in an ob- scure corner, though one can easily be recognized by his figure as Monsieur Merle. Bob looks around a little anxiously and then smiles, for another gentleman has quietly entered the door and makes a motion with his arm that is meant to be reassuring. ‘‘Are you ready, my dear?’’ Bob asks. ‘“Ves—let me summon some of the nerve you said I possessed, but I declare it must have been a sham, for I’m shaking all over. Let me have your arm for support—you know I must lean upon you after this. It will soon be over—it only happens once in a_life- time with most people. Bob, don’t look so awfully serious—smile—be yourself, or I shall become hys- terical,’? whereupon, in obedience to this request on the part of the one whom he loves so well, the happy groom indulges in a forced grin that hardly becomes him. Truth to tell, it is a very serious business with Bob —he has always fought shy of weddings, because he sincerely pitied the couple before the altar, they generally appeared to suffer so much. Besides, he has every reason to believe that cir- cumstances have gathered which will make this a crisis in the affairs of Estelle Gordon. Her interests are now his, and the uncertainty hovering over the whole issue gives him something to worty about. They advance to the parson, who has a low whis- Gomicbooksrco im